Systems and Methods for Network Congestion Management Using Radio Access Network Congestion Indicators

1. A system for managing communications network congestion, comprising: a radio access network (RAN) interface configured: to receive RAN congestion indicators of both a first type and a second type, transmit a control message indicating that the RAN congestion indicators of the second type are to be received in the future, and no more of the RAN congestion indicators of the first type are to be received in the future, and in response to the control message, receiving additional one or more RAN congestion indicators of the second type captured according to the control message; a congestion correlator module configured to correlate the additional one or more RAN congestion indicators of the second type to service congestion indicators by copying the additional one or more RAN congestion indicators of the second type to the service congestion indicators; a database comprising congestion based policy rules, wherein the congestion-based policy rules establish control responses based on at least one or more service congestion indicators; a policy controller module configured to apply the congestion-based policy rules to achieve a policy decision; and a policy enforcement control point interface configured to transmit network control instructions to enforce the policy decision.

2. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a RAN congestion history module configured to store the RAN congestion indicators associated with a RAN as a function of time.

3. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a RAN congestion state module configured to store congestion state information for a RAN.

4. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a marketing interface configured to transmit a marketing congestion indicator, wherein the marketing congestion indicator includes an indication that a user's experience will be adjusted based on network congestion considerations.

5. The system of claim 1 , further comprising an interface configured to gather RAN user activity information, wherein the RAN user activity information identifies the users being serviced by a RAN and the type of services being provided.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the congestion correlator module is further configured to analyze the RAN congestion indicators to generate service congestion indicators that predict future service congestion.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the congestion correlator module is further configured to generate service congestion indicators based on one or more of the RAN congestion indicators, RAN congestion states, RAN congestion trends, historical RAN congestion patterns, and historical service congestion patterns.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the congestion-based policy rules adjust limitations on bandwidth allowances, adjust service traffic priority, or block access to certain applications.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the congestion-based policy rules are imposed against classes of users.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the RAN congestion indicators include dropped packets, dropped calls, error rates, and RAN power consumption.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the communications network operates using a WIMAX, LTE, UMTS or CDMA protocol.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the control message further indicates a frequency for receipt of the RAN congestion indicators of the second type based on a congestion state of the RAN.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the control message further indicates a frequency for receipt of the RAN congestion indicators of the second type based on a time of day given historical congestion patterns.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the control message further indicates a frequency for receipt of the RAN congestion indicators of the second type based on a subscriber activity within a RAN.

15. A method for managing communications network congestion, comprising: receiving one or more radio access network (RAN) congestion indicators of a first type; receiving one or more radio access network (RAN) congestion indicators of a second type; transmitting a control message indicating that the RAN congestion indicators of the second type are to be received in the future, and no more of the RAN congestion indicators of the first type are to be received in the future; in response to the control message, receiving additional one or more RAN congestion indicators of the second type captured according to the control message; correlating the additional one or more RAN congestion indicators of the second type to one or more service congestion indicators, wherein correlating the additional one or more RAN congestion indicators of the second type to the one or more service congestion indicators includes copying the additional one or more RAN congestion indicators of the second type to the one or more service congestion indicators; applying a congestion-based policy rule based on the one or more service congestion indicators to generate a policy decision; and implementing the policy decision.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising transmitting a reporting message that includes one or more of the RAN congestion indicators.

17. The method of claim 15 , further comprising transmitting a marketing message that includes an indication that a congestion-based policy decision has been made.

18. The method of claim 17 , further comprising transmitting a marketing offer to one or more users that are impacted by the congestion-based policy decision.

19. The method of claim 15 , further comprising storing one or more of the RAN congestion indicators and associating the one or more of the RAN congestion indicators with a RAN.

20. The method of claim 15 , further comprising storing congestion state information based on the RAN congestion indicators for a RAN.

21. The method of claim 20 , wherein the stored congestion state information includes a periodic and incremental logging of the RAN congestion indicators for the RAN.

22. The method of claim 15 , wherein correlating the additional one or more RAN congestion indicators of the second type results in the one or more service congestion indicators being the same as the additional one or more RAN congestion indicators of the second type.

23. The method of claim 15 , wherein correlating the additional one or more RAN congestion indicators of the second type to the one or more service congestion indicators includes determining one or more service congestion indicators based on the additional one or more RAN congestion indicators of the second type and RAN state information.

24. The method of claim 15 , wherein correlating the additional one or more RAN congestion indicators of the second type to one or more service congestion indicators includes determining one or more service congestion indicators based on the additional one or more RAN congestion indicators of the second type, and one or more of RAN congestion state information, historical service congestion associated with a RAN, subscriber activity associated with the RAN, and time of day.

25. The method of claim 15 , wherein implementing the policy decision includes transmitting a second control message to a policy control enforcement point that adjusts the service characteristics of users associated with a RAN for which the additional one or more RAN congestion indicators of the second type are received.

26. The method of claim 15 , wherein the one or more service congestion indicators include a present state service congestion indicator, and a predicted state service congestion indicator.

27. The method of claim 15 , wherein the RAN congestion indicators include dropped packets, dropped calls, error rates and RAN power consumption.

28. The method of claim 15 , wherein the communications network operates using a WIMAX, LTE, UMTS or CDMA protocol.